Apricot

Map of the etymology of "apricot" from Latin via Late and Byzantine Greek to Arabic, Spanish and Catalan, Middle French, and so to English

Apricot first appeared in English in the 16th century as abrecock from the Middle French aubercot or later abricot,[2] from Spanish albaricoque and Catalan a(l)bercoc, in turn from Arabic الْبَرْقُوق‎ (al-barqūq, "the plums"), from Byzantine Greek βερικοκκίᾱ (berikokkíā, "apricot tree"), derived from late Greek πραικόκιον (praikókion, "apricot") from Latin [persica ("peach")] praecocia (praecoquus, "early ripening").[3][4][5]

Apricots are species belonging to Prunus sect. Armeniaca. The taxonomic position of P. brigantina is disputed. It is grouped with plum species according to chloroplast DNA sequences,[6] but more closely related to apricot species according to nuclear DNA sequences.[7]

• Prunus armeniaca – common apricot, widely cultivated for its edible fruit and kernel
• Prunus brigantina – Briançon apricot, native to Europe, cultivated for its edible fruit and oil-producing kernel
• Prunus cathayana – native to Hebei
• Prunus × dasycarpa – purple apricot, cultivated in Central Asia and adjacent areas for its edible fruit
• Prunus hongpingensis – Hongping apricot, native to Shennongjia, cultivated for its edible fruit
• Prunus hypotrichodes – native to Chongqing
• Prunus limeixing – cultivated in northern China for its edible fruit
• Prunus mandshurica – Manchurian apricot, native to Northeast Asia, cultivated for its kernel, the fruits of some cultivars edible
• Prunus mume – Japanese apricot, native to southern China, widely cultivated for its beautiful blossom and edible fruit
• Prunus sibirica – Siberian apricot, native to Siberia, Mongolia, northern China, and Korea, cultivated for its kernel
• Prunus zhengheensis – Zhenghe apricot, native to Fujian

The apricot is a small tree, 8–12 m (26–39 ft) tall, with a trunk up to 40 cm (16 in) in diameter and a dense, spreading canopy. The leaves are ovate, 5–9 cm (2.0–3.5 in) long, and 4–8 cm (1.6–3.1 in) wide, with a rounded base, a pointed tip, and a finely serrated margin. The flowers are 2–4.5 cm (0.8–1.8 in) in diameter, with five white to pinkish petals; they are produced singly or in pairs in early spring before the leaves. The fruit is a drupe (stonefruit) similar to a small peach, 1.5–2.5 cm (0.6–1.0 in) diameter (larger in some modern cultivars), from yellow to orange, often tinged red on the side most exposed to the sun; its surface can be smooth (botanically described as: glabrous) or velvety with very short hairs (botanically: pubescent). The flesh is usually succulent, but dry in some species such as P. sibirica. Its taste can range from sweet to tart. The single seed or "kernel" is enclosed in a hard shell, often called a "stone", with a grainy, smooth texture except for three ridges running down one side.[8][9]

Apricot leaves

In 2020, world production of apricots was 3.72 million tonnes, led by Turkey with 22% of the total (table). Other major producers (in descending order) were Uzbekistan, Iran, Italy, and Algeria.[17] Malatya is the center of Turkey's apricot industry.[25]

In a 100-gram amount, raw apricots supply 48 Calories and are composed of 11% carbohydrates, 1% protein, less than 1% fat, and 86% water (table). Raw apricots are a moderate source of vitamin A and vitamin C (12% of the Daily Value each).

The apricot is the national fruit of Armenia, mostly growing in the Ararat plain.[30][31] It is often depicted on souvenirs.[32]

The Chinese associate the apricot with education and medicine. For instance, the classical word 杏 壇 (literally: "apricot altar") (xìng tán 杏坛) which means "educational circle", is still widely used in written language. Chuang Tzu, a Chinese philosopher in the fourth century BC, told a story that Confucius taught his students in a forum surrounded by the wood of apricot trees.[33] The association with medicine in turn comes from the common use of apricot kernels as a component in traditional Chinese medicine, and from the story of Dong Feng (董奉), a physician during the Three Kingdoms period, who required no payment from his patients except that they plant apricot trees in his orchard upon recovering from their illnesses, resulting in a large grove of apricot trees and a steady supply of medicinal ingredients.[34] The term "expert of the apricot grove" (杏林高手) is still used as a poetic reference to physicians.

The fact that apricot season is short and unreliable in Egypt has given rise to the common Egyptian Arabic and Palestinian Arabic expression filmishmish ("in apricot [season]") or bukra filmishmish ("tomorrow in apricot [season]"), generally uttered as a riposte to an unlikely prediction, or as a rash promise to fulfill a request.[35] This adynaton has the same sense as the English expression "when pigs fly".[36]

In Middle Eastern and North African cuisines, apricots are used to make Qamar al-Din (lit. "Moon of the faith"), a thick apricot drink that is a popular fixture at Iftar during Ramadan. Qamar al-Din is believed to originate in Damascus, Syria, where the variety of apricots most suitable for the drink was first grown.[37][38]

In Jewish culture, apricots are commonly eaten as part of the Tu Bishvat seder.[39]

The Turkish idiom bundan iyisi Şam'da kayısı (literally, "the only thing better than this is an apricot in Damascus") means "it doesn't get any better than this".

In the U.S. Marines it is considered exceptionally bad luck to eat or possess apricots,[40] especially near tanks.[41] This superstition has been documented since at least the Vietnam War and is often cited as originating in World War II. Even calling them by their name is considered unlucky,[42] so they are instead called "cots",[43] "Forbidden fruit" or "A-fruit".[44]

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  Dried date, peach, apricot, and stones. From Lahun, Fayum, Egypt. Late Middle Kingdom. The Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, London
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  Blooms of an apricot
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  Apricot kernel (endocarp and seed)
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  Dried apricot, with dark color due to absence of sulfur dioxide treatment
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  Prunus sibirica (Siberian apricot; hardy to −50 °C (−58 °F) but with less palatable fruit)
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  Apricot tree, Turkey
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  Apricots drying on the ground in Cappadocia
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  Syrian apricot paste
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  Packaging apricot fruits in Uzbekistan
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  Drying apricot fruits
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  'Kecskemét Rose' - a pale and juicy apricot variety

• Barack (brandy)
• Apricot plum, Prunus simonii

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Apricots.

• "Apricot" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 2 (11th ed.). 1911. p. 230.
• The dictionary definition of apricot at Wiktionary